표지+세네카최종 2010.7.

28 2:18 PM 페이지 1 Mac-2 in T C M Y K

People & Culture

AUGUST 2010

August 2010 www.korea.net

KOREA’S
ELECTRONIC
FUTURE
www.korea.net

ISSN: 2005-2162
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PRELUDE

The Beauty of Korea Located on the country’s

southeast coast, the area containing remnants dating from
the Cretaceous period of the Mesozoic era, including
fossilized eggs and dinosaur footprints, is the largest in the
world. The relics are situated in beautiful natural surround-
ings, with petrified wood, numerous geographical layers and
peculiar river drifts. Pictured on this page, the fossil site in
Goseong, in particular, is famous for the quantity and
variety of its fossils, with more than 4,000 dinosaur foot-
prints and 420 walking trails. Along with Haenam, Boseong,
Yeosu, and Hwasun, Goseong was included on UNESCO’s
Tentative List of World Heritage sites in January 2002.
ⓒ Choi Ji-young
8월호목차 2010.7.28 2:16 PM 페이지 1 Mac-2 in T C M Y K
COVER STORY
They make the phones and TVs you can
see, and the parts and DRAM chips you
can’t. Find out how Korea’s high-tech
giants are towering over global electronics.
CONTENTSAUGUST 2010 VOL. 6 NO. 8
04 PEN & BRUSH 16
He may be a bestselling novelist, but that’s
not what keeps Park Beom-sin writing. More
than fame, writing for Park is as vital to his
health as eating or breathing.
TRAVEL 26
It has fabulous food, scenic landscapes
and intriguing museums. Is it any wonder
that Gangneung is one of the most popu-
lar holiday spots in Korea?
PEOPLE 20
Having made names for themselves
playing in Europe, four Korean footballers
were at the heart of the national team’s
World Cup run. These are their stories.
MY KOREA 32
When you think of all the things you like to
imbibe in summer, burning hot soup proba-
bly comes near the bottom of the list. But in
Korea, it’s a hallowed tradition — and one
American expat is hooked.
SUMMIT DIPLOMACY 36
Ahead of Seoul’s G-20 Summit, President
Lee Myung-bak visited Canada, Panama
and Mexico, where meetings with regional
leaders yielded important agreements.
GLOBAL KOREA 40
Having swept the world with their goods,
Korean companies are now exporting phi-
lanthropy and compassion. Come and see
how Korea’s conglomerates are doing
good in the farthest reaches of the world.
www.korea.net
NOW IN KOREA 44
Ever since the country’s medical laws
were revised last year, Korea has wit-
nessed a boom in medical tourism. And
the industry is only going to get bigger.
PUBLISHER Seo Kang-soo,
Korean Culture and Information Service
EDITING HEM KOREA Co., Ltd
E-MAIL webmaster@korea.net
PRINTING Samsung Moonwha Printing Co.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may
be reproduced in any form without permission from
KOREA and the Korean Culture and Information
Service.
The articles published in KOREA do not necessarily
represent the views of the publisher. The publisher is
not liable for errors or omissions.
Letters to the editor should include the writer’s full
name and address. Letters may be edited for clarity
and/or space restrictions.
If you want to receive a free copy of KOREA or wish
to cancel a subscription, please e-mail us.
A downloadable PDF file of KOREA and a map and
glossary with common Korean words appearing in our
text are available by clicking on the thumbnail of
KOREA on the homepage of www.korea.net.
발간등록번호 : 11-1110073-000016-06
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COVER STORY

These are heady days for Korean electronics. Everywhere you

look, there are electronics gadgets that bear the “Made in Korea”
stamp, whether they are cell phones and TVs or components in
other firms’ products. Korea is now also a world leader in broad-
band connection — but the journey’s only just begun. by Song Yeong-rok

ⓒ Topic Photo

KOREA’S ELECT RONIC DREAMS

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headquarters in Seocho-dong, southern Seoul. In just 18

Samsung Electronics’ new smartphone, Galaxy S is seen (top).
HIMS Korea’s portable braille computer, Hansone, was developed
for the blind (above). Samsung D’light is an exhibition hall for the
company’s latest electronic products (below).
Andrea Bocelli, the world famous Italian tenor, is a big fan of
Korea. Unlike most Koreaphiles, however, Bocelli’s affection is
not a result of food or traditional culture, but of a braille com-
puter created by local firm HIMS Korea. Having been blind
since the age of 12, Bocelli’s life was improved immensely by
the device, which enables him to write music, send e-mails and
documents, and doubles as a braille score for when he’s per-
forming operas. Korean IT, Bocelli said, changed his life.
World-renowned physicist Stephen Hawking is also a benefi-
ciary of Korea’s IT industry. Though only able to move two fin-
gers due to the degenerative effects of Lou Gehrig’s disease,
Hawking can communicate through a Korean-made speech syn-
thesizer. Produced by a firm called Voicewear, the device turns
computerized text into a human-sounding voice. Hawking
picked it, he said, because it was the best available anywhere.
months, this showcase of high-tech gadgetry has attracted more
than 800,000 visitors, or roughly 3,000 people every day.
Samsung D’light has built its reputation as an “interactive
digital space,” managing to attract hordes of visitors from
overseas. Listed as a recommended stop in a Japanese travel
guide, the exhibition draws student field trips from Japan and
China, as well as delegations from Harvard Business School
and other top colleges in the United States.
“Lately, we’ve had corporate visitors from the US and
developed European countries, and also from rising countries
like Vietnam, China and India,” says Bong Ju-hwi, a manager
at Samsung D’light.
Samsung D’light is also famous for unveiling the company’s
latest electronics products. The 9000 series of 3D TVs; the
NX10, a high-end digital camera; the N310, a mini notebook;
and the Omnia 2 and Galaxy S smartphones were all unveiled
for the first time in the exhibition hall.
T.um, SK Telecom’s ICT (information and communications
technology) interactive hall, serves as another venue for visi-
tors to experience Korea’s latest information technology first-
hand. Since opening in October 2008, the hall has hosted gov- A spectator tests out an IT product, a body scanner, at SK
Telecom’s ICT interactive hall, T.um (above). Visitors react to see-
ernment officials, business figures and academics from 19
ing their pictures on the screen of a wide monitor at Samsung
OECD members. Visitors include the US, Britain and France; D’light (below).
ⓒ Samsung Electronics (top, left); HIMS Co., Ltd. (left above)

With high-profile successes like this, Korean technology is

ⓒ SK Telecom (top); Samsung Electronics (right)

making a name for itself around the world. And having heard
these stories, visitors are coming from far and wide to learn
the country’s electronic secrets.

IT LESSONS Ask a Korean what the top must-see tourist

attractions in his capital are, and he’ll no doubt say the all-night
market at Dongdaemun or perhaps the traditional stores along
Insa-dong. However, rising quickly in the ranks of that list is
Samsung D’light, an exhibition hall at Samsung Electronics’

KOREA
AUGUST
06 2010
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major trading partners including China, Thailand and Vietnam;

Samsung Electronics held an consumer event, Super Smart Day, to
introduce the Galaxy S’s functions and applications on July 17 in
Seoul (above). Samsung recently unveiled its latest 3D TV series,
the Samsung PAVV hybrid 3D PDP TV, in two models (below).
and from more unlikely locales like Mali and Tajikistan. In
February last year, Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet, France’s
Minister of State, paid a visit and saw Samsung’s DMB and
IPTV, two kinds of mobile TV services, in action.
In March, T.um replaced its Ultra Mobile Personal Computer
corner with smartphones and, after some more renovations
that included the installation of a system that tracks visitors in
real-time, the hall was reborn as T.um 2.0. Every exhibit is
smartphone-interactive: With the body scanner, patrons can
create an avatar of themselves and try on virtual costumes,
while pressing certain keys on their smartphones will open the
door of a sports car they can take for a spin.
T.um 2.0 also includes the Play Dream hall, where you can
experience the ICT services of the future, and the Play Real
hall, which showcases SK Telecom’s current technology and
services. The Play Dream hall lets visitors sample home
networking services using motion-detection technology,
futuristic games, real-time conversion of 2D into 3D, and
shopping services using image recognition. The Play Real hall,
meanwhile, has an array of core technologies currently under
development at SK Telecom, plus mobile network management
systems and high-tech services that are being provided or are
in development today.

ⓒ Samsung Electronics (opposite) ; LG Electronics (top); SK Telecom (middle); Ministry of Public Administration and Security (bottom)
ELECTRONIC POLITICS Korea’s government is also playing a
central role in transforming the country into an IT powerhouse.
Demonstrating the nation’s pioneering role in the move toward
e-Government, Ministery of Public Administration and Security
of Korea’s Minister Maeng Hyung-kyu and UN Under-Secretary-
General Sha Zukang last June agreed to jointly develop the
“UN Public Administration Knowledge System,” a project under
the auspices of the UN department of economic and social
affairs in Barcelona, Spain. The system will collect information
related to e-Government policies, infrastructure and evaluation
among the 192 UN member states, with a view to creating a
Participants of the World IT Show 2010, an IT exhibition held in
UN-centered global e-government in the future. Seoul from May 26 to 28, watch LG’s 72-inch LED 3D TV (top).
On behalf of Korea, Maeng also received the top prize at the People play a videogame at SK Telecom’s T.um (above). The Korean
government hosts a civil affairs website, G4C (below).
2010 UN Global E-Government Survey Special Award, a recog-
nition of Korea’s leading position in the field. Looking to learn
from Korea’s success, officials from 11 developing countries
visited in March, taking classes in Korea’s e-Government poli-
cies and information technology. The tour included visits to
agencies that have already embraced the new e-Government
system, such as the National Computing and Information
Agency and the Korean Intellectual Property Office. According
to the National Information Society Agency, over 3,000 public
servants from about 100 nations have taken part in special-
ized IT training programs in Korea since 1998.

KOREA KOREA
AUGUST AUGUST
08 2010 2010 09
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LEADING THE WORLD Nowadays, no matter where you are in
the world, you’re never far from a Korean mobile phone, TV,
washing machine or air conditioner. Korea’s Samsung
Electronics and LG Electronics are ranked second and third in
the world mobile phone market, and occupy the top two spots
in the global TV market. Nor are Korean firms focused only on
finished products. If you’re using a Nokia or an Apple handset,
the chances are that some parts were made in Korea. Check
your HP or Dell computer, and the DRAM memory chips will
almost certainly be from Samsung or Hynix.
In the 3D industry, a booming field since the release of
James Cameron’s epic Avatar, Korea is also playing a pivotal
role. “I think Korea will firmly establish itself as the world
leader in the new industry of 3D TV,” Cameron said on a visit
to Korea in May. “Korean consumers tend to be early adopters,
adjusting to new technologies quickly. And that will help com-
panies like Samsung and LG supply 3D TV sets, starting with
Korean households and then the rest of the world.”
During his time in Korea, Cameron announced a deal with
Samsung in which his Avatar production crew would shoot
music videos for Korean pop stars — including BoA and TVXQ
— to be displayed in Samsung 3D TV retail outlets worldwide.
Korean firms, as major players in the mobile phone market,
are also working to increase their presence through smart-
KOREA
AUGUST
10 2010
phones. Samsung’s flagship smartphone, the Galaxy S, will be
offered through more than 100 mobile service providers as the
company seeks to sell 10 million units.
In the global semiconductor industry, Korea’s strength is
ⓒ National Information Society Agency (top); Samsung Electronics (middle); Hynix Semiconductor Inc. (bottom)
even more pronounced. According to a recent poll by the mar-
ket research firm iSuppli, Samsung and Hynix respectively
accounted for 32.6 percent and 21.7 percent of the global
semiconductor market in the first quarter of this year. While
competitors have been holding back, Samsung and Hynix have
continued to make bold investments, ensuring their domi-
A Bhutanese IT official tests out the U-City Environment program,
nance. Samsung recently announced a 9 trillion won (US$7.5
supported by the Korean government, at Digital Media City in Seoul billion) investment in its semiconductor sector, while Hynix
(top). James Cameron, director of the famed 3D movie Avatar, visit-
ed the Samsung Digital City in Suwon on May 13 (above). Hynix’s plans to pour in 3.5 trillion won.
semiconductor chip, 44nm 2Gb LPDDR2, is seen (below). In terms of sales, Samsung is ranked first with 26.5 percent
and LG Display second with 23.7 percent. In February, both
firms surpassed an accumulated production of 500 million
large LCD units — enough to cover 10,000 soccer fields —
since beginning their operations in 1995.
For all their success, there still remains a feeling that
ⓒ LG Electronics (top, left)
Korea’s electronics industry still has the potential to grow.
Soon 3D TVs will come without glasses, chips will be smaller
Fans watch the American NCAA men’s final game in April on the LG yet even more powerful, and smartphones will do things we’d
Electronics 3D TV at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, US (top). never imagined. And when they do, you can be sure that
LG Electronics launched a new 3D computer package, which pro-
vides 3D-effects for 2D images (above). Korea’s electronics giants will be a part of them.
KOREA
AUGUST
2010 11
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COVER STORY
Kim Si-hyun, head of the Chinese Character Education
Research Institute, is one of the most famous lecturers of
Chinese in Korea. Every semester his lectures at Hankuk
University of Foreign Studies, Dongguk University and
Sookmyung Women’s University draw more than a thousand
students. Despite his common touch, however, Kim long
shunned the digital lifestyle. Social media or mobile phones,
he felt, only served to undermine human-to-human contact.
But this lifelong Luddite recently transposed his convention-
al popularity into a more high-tech form, with the hugely
successful “Kim Si-hyun’s Chinese Dictionary for Everyday
Living,” which shot to No 3 in the Korean store for applica-
tions for Apple’s iPhone. So why the big change?
The story began in February of this year when Kim, who
didn’t even own a mobile phone, was asked by his students
to develop an app for their iPhones that would help with
KOREA
AUGUST
12 2010
Korea, “The Age of the Apps” has truly arrived.
“Compared to just three months ago, the demand for
new apps has tripled,” says Yang Soo-yeol, research chief
at Inpion Consulting, a web services company. “To meet
this demand, we see more and more app developing com-
KOREA SETS panies and individuals appearing almost every day.”
As wildly successful as it’s been, Kim’s Chinese app is
SAIL ON A SEA just one of a flurry of hits designed by and for Koreans.
Seoul Bus, designed by second-year high school student
OF APPS Yoo Joo-wan, became a smash hit by telling Seoulites
exactly how long they’d have to wait for their bus, whichever
stop they were at. Since its release last December, Seoul
Though somewhat late to arrive to Bus has been downloaded 560,000 times.
the party, iPhones have taken off in Seoul Bus also served another, hugely important role:
teaching civil servants the value of openness. When the
Korea with a vengeance. And as the
app was first released, the governments of Seoul and
iconic smartphone has seen its sales
Gyeonggi-do Province — on whose data Seoul Bus relied to
soar, its applications, or apps, have work — tried to have it banned, saying that Yoo required
become a local phenomenon too. their express permission to use the information about the
Just as amateur app designers have buses. The public made their objections known, arguing
reflected local needs and tastes that the information in fact belonged to them. The govern-
around the world, Koreans are ments soon relented, and an app sensation was born.
coming up with their own games For many Koreans, it was inspiring to see a student
preparing for Korea’s notoriously tough university entrance
and solutions — with intriguing,
exams find the time to create an app. The moral seemed to
lucrative, results. be that whoever you were, and whatever your background,
by Son Jae-kwon
you could develop and make money from these programs.
Another app that’s been clocking up big sales is Facial
Recognition Physiognomy. Tapping into the old belief in
their studies. Kim gave it some thought, consulted with assessing people’s character through their faces, this app
business partners and, overcoming his technophobia, lets users access facial shots saved in their photo album
decided to give it a go. Besides a Chinese dictionary con- then breaks them down into five areas. From this, it divines
taining 2,300 key characters, Kim built several other apps insights into what the future holds for him or her. In a coun-
that offered help in studying for Chinese tests, then try where fortune telling remains a popular pastime, the
watched as his creations became an overnight success. physiognomy app has been a big hit.
Apple’s iPhone arrived in Korea on November 28, 2009. As anyone who’s spent time in Korea will tell you, deliv-
In the nine months since then, the handsets and apps have ered food is a staple of the local diet. Little surprise, then,
become a phenomenon. After joining the revolution late, that apps have appeared to cater to this demand, too.
Korea’s App Store now offers some 6,500 apps (there are Apps like Delivery Box and People of Delivery provide
around 134,000 available in total). locations and phone numbers for chicken places, pizzerias,
In Korea, app development is no longer the exclusive and a host of other take-out eateries. The apps offer
domain of techies. From corporations and public agencies access to menus and coupons that are only available
to teachers and restaurateurs, app makers are popping up through online orders, and even keep tabs on how long it’s
ⓒ Topic Photo
in all walks of life. As for apps themselves, their influence been since the order was placed. More than 30,000 estab-
is being felt in economics, industry, politics and culture. For lishments across the country have signed up with these
As the smartphone
gains in popularity
in Korea, several
applications have
become hits. People
of Delivery, Kim’s
Chinese, Seoul Bus
and Facial
Recognition
Physiognomy apps
are seen (from top
left).
“delivery apps,” and more are doing so every day.
While catering to specific local needs, apps such as
Delivery Box are also creating brand new experiences and
new business opportunities. This, in turn, is creating a self-
perpetuating cycle of profit: As more innovative apps
appear, more people want to buy iPhones.
Within just two months of iPhones and apps going on
sale in Korea, the amount of online data used by Koreans
more than doubled. Today, Korea’s iPhone users log an
average of 442 MB per month, 44 times higher than regular
cell phone holders. This exponential growth has had a posi-
tive knock-on effect to the economy. In the first quarter of
this year, there were 6,689 job notices in the mobile com-
munication and software sectors, up 51 percent from the
same period a year ago. Between December 2009 and
February 2010, there were also 1,325 companies newly
registered in the publication, video, broadcasting and
optional service provision sectors, an increase of 39 per-
cent year-on-year. This vast increase, of course, coincided
with the introduction of iPhone and the App Store in Korea.
According to KT, the Korean telecommunication company
that brought the iPhone to Korea, the mobile data market
could jump by 4.5 trillion won (US$3.8 billion) over the next
three years. The paid contents market could rise by 1.9 tril-
lion won over the same period, KT estimated.
From a country that held out against the iPhone longer
than most, its arrival has been nothing short of revolution-
ary. Korea may not have been an early adopter of apps, but
it’s a major player now.
KOREA
AUGUST
2010 13
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COVER STORY

tion in the world, and where upwards of 25 percent of the
population, according to surveys, consider themselves
“early adopters” of new technology, Korea’s bloggers have
risen from minority tastes to wielding real influence on what
consumers decide to buy.
And Korean tastes matter to more than just domestic
companies. With Korea increasingly known worldwide for its
demand for the very latest technology, the San Francisco
Chronicle recently ran a feature story detailing how several
Samsung hosted
era to the company’s Japanese headquarters, where techni-
cians discovered problems in the production process. As a
result, Canon issued an apology on its global websites and
offered a free clean up of the camera’s mirror box for users
who’d experienced the same problem.
Cowon, a Korean manufacturer of MP3 players, had a
similar experience. Having received a complaint that a
16GB player had taken three hours to fill with music files,
rather than the expected 20 minutes, the firm responded by
saying that their own tests showed no such problem with
the product. The disgruntled owner then fixed the problem
himself and posted his solution, along with a strongly word-
ed complaint, on the company’s homepage. Cowon subse-
quently admitted that after further tests, certain models
were slower than advertised. Its online apology included a
reprint of the solution suggested by the irate power user.
These influential voices are an increasingly important
component of Korea’s high-tech industries. For about three
years, Samsung and LG, among others, have been manag-
ing “prosumer” groups of 20 to 50 people. They are sent
on overseas inspections and their creative ideas and exact-
ing standards are frequently reflected in the companies’

KOREA’S EARLY Earlier this year, as it prepared a conference to unveil the

an event for
smartphone users
on May 14 in
Seoul (opposite).
services or new products. And while an average of one out
of 25 products reportedly made it past the focus groups

ADOPTERS SET world’s first LED TV, Samsung Electronics called in the bed-
room scribes. Inviting regular reporters and journalists for a
Power bloggers
discuss LG cell
phones at a meet-
last year, this year, that number fell to just one in 40.
Some groups made proposals that were so radical, they got

THE TONE FOR morning session, the company held a second event in the
afternoon, which was attended entirely by bloggers. Around
the same time, NHN, which operates Korea’s top portal
ing hosted by the
company (above).
Korean Navigation
company
engineers thinking in entirely new ways.
Power users are also making their presence felt in the
electronic map sector. M&Soft, a Korean electronic map

ELECTRONICS site, Naver, did the same thing, holding a conference for
bloggers as it announced changes to its homepage.
Thinkware’s navi-
gation (left). maker, update its maps six times a year thanks to power
users. Consumers who have used the company’s GPS navi-

GIANTS In fact, more and more Korean tech and IT companies are Silicon Valley companies try out their latest products there gation systems find discrepancies between real maps and

ⓒ Samsung Electronics (opposite); LG Electronics (top); Thinkware (above)

You may have never heard of them,
but Korea’s “power bloggers” are
affecting the goods you buy. By mak-
ing their online voices heard in one
of the world’s most wired countries,
bloggers and “power users” have
changed the way electronics compa-
nies do business — to the benefit of
consumers everywhere. by Son Jae-kwon
realizing the value of blogger opinion. Whether it’s launches as a barometer of how they’ll work worldwide. Of course, the company’s electronic versions, and then post their com-
of TVs, smartphones or digital cameras, bloggers can Korean firms have been doing this for a long time. In releas- plaints online. The company said there are about 150 com-
increasingly expect to be invited along to the party. In a few ing their products in Korea six to eight months earlier than ments a day and more than 3,000 per year, with the num-
cases, the boundaries between bloggers and old-school anywhere else, Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics bers increasing by more than 20 percent each year.
media have disappeared altogether. At recent product look to find out what early adopters think of their goods and In Korea, early adopters are a very distinct breed from
launches, LG Uplus (formerly LG Telecom) and Taiwan’s iron out any problems through consumer feedback. “opinion leaders,” the trendy, often high-profile folk who
smartphone company HTC invited bloggers and journalists Canon, the world’s top digital camera maker, once both pursue and shape what’s “cool.” Early adopters here
along to the same event — though the reporters’ less than altered its production process for its DSLR cameras follow- are real consumers, as eager to find high quality as the
ecstatic response suggests that not all of them are quite ing suggestions from a Korean “power user,” as Korea’s very newest in electronics goods, and determined that their
ready for that level of intimacy yet. influential early adopters are known. Having bought a DSLR opinions will be heard. Though you may not know their
Perhaps more than in most countries, Korean bloggers camera from the company, the user wrote that photographs names, they are a powerful force, whose voices increasingly
have enjoyed a stellar rise in importance and status. In a he took with it had some ring-shaped distortion. He com- influence not just electronics in Korea, but in products inter-
nation with one of the highest rates of broadband penetra- plained to Canon’s Korean branch, who forwarded the cam- nationally as well.

KOREA KOREA
AUGUST AUGUST
14 2010 2010 15
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PEN & BRUSH

LONGING
FOR THE
UNATTAINABLE
When asked “What defines the
Korean novel?” don’t search for a
long-winded definition. All one
needs to say is the name “Park
Beom-sin.” An author now synony-
mous with the word “novel,” in
Korea, Park draws readers right into
his prose with searing depictions of
personal pain and desire. Yet, as “The young author.” This is what people call Park Beom-sin.
unflinching as his work can be, With a literary career that began way back in 1973 — when,
as a genuinely young man of 27, he won a major literary
underneath the layers it also shows
award from the JoongAng Ilbo newspaper — Park’s nickname
a deep love for the world. continues to sit well with the novelist who retained his origi-
by Lee Se-mi | photographs by Kim Nam-heon
nal sensitivity and passion 37 years later. However, for Park,
not growing out of that young man he was is less a blessing
than a curse. Although he has grown and transformed over
the years, his inner torment remains an inescapable burden.
Becoming a popular writer only a few years of his debut,
Park spent much of his 30s and 40s producing nearly 40 nov-
els that collectively sold millions of copies. His work captivat-
ed readers with its florid writing style and solid narratives
that focused on the problems underlying Korean society, con-
fronting social mores and class conflict. Reminiscing about
these years, Park says, with more than a hint of bitterness, “I
lived half my life as a workaholic.”

NOT READY TO DIE But just as he was at the height of his

success, as serializations of his work were drawing a huge fol-
lowing in daily newspapers, Park went silent. Literary circles
rang with speculation and his legions of avid readers began to

16
KOREA
AUGUST
2010
call it “the end of his writing career.” Why did one of Korea’s

Park Beom-sin
16-19 pen&brush 2010.7.28 2:8 PM 페이지 18 Mac-2 in T C M Y K
most successful novelists, at the peak of his popularity, just
give it all up?
“A severe self-denial of literature. An ontological anxiety
and fear. And, an incongruity with the ‘People’s Literature’
that came with the so-called democratization of Korean liter-
ature in the 1980s,” Park says. “If I had not been born in this
land, would I have undergone the process of ending my own
writing career.”
“The division of Korea for half a century is a unique fate
that lives with all writers that call this country home, includ-
ing myself. The agony that writers faced under the military
dictatorships of the 1970s and 80s was also great. I felt that
writing a best-seller during the periods of military dictator-
ship was a disgrace. So I gave up all the privilege and prestige
I’d attained from my literary accomplishments and returned
to a state of nothing-ness. I turned my back on my family and
retired to a remote cabin for three years, not writing a single
word. But during that period, I found myself to be more alive
and gained a unique freedom.”
Eventually deciding to come out of retirement, Park
returned with the self-confessional Wagon Drawn by White
Cow. Unlike his previous novels, this work focused on
essences beyond phenomena and the reality of the soul,
subjects that became increasingly real to him as he began
what would be 15 expeditions climbing the Himalayas. In
several works dealing specifically with his travels — an essay
on meditation, Road to Kailas, a travel log about the
Himalayas, Fragrance After Emptying, and the novels Cholatse
and Namaste — Park began proselytizing his belief that pil-
grimage is an essence of human nature.
For an author that says “my dream is to become a pilgrim,”
the icecap-topped Himalaya Mountains became like an altar
and a transcendental world — but also a source of impene-
trable fantasy. In his many writings on the Himalayas, one
finds an unrelenting search for that essence, and the deeper
truth it always promises, but never yields.
The novel Eungyo, published last April, uses a love story
to unravel inner desires and the existence of transcendental
values. This ever-growing emptiness, the yearning for some-
thing that cannot be attained, Park calls simply “longing.”
The deepened longing felt through the fear of existence, Park
refers to as “love.”
Finished in just 45 days, Eungyo was published simultane-
ously in paperback and in e-book form. Park says that his
desire to create this particular novel was so great, he could
have died happy while writing it. This passion, touched on in
many of his essays, is something that keeps the now not-so-
KOREA
AUGUST
18 2010
young writer so absorbed in what he does.
“There lives a beast in my chest that never grows old,” he OUR FUNERAL
says. “I call the beast ‘nakji’ (small octopus) because it is > Language Turkish
This short novel Park Beom-sin wrote in 1976 tells
mysterious, reckless and provocative. Whenever I stop
the tale of Bongchoo, who soothes the futility of
writing, nakji tears open my sides during the night to come his life with glasses of rice wine and his wife. An
out... I keep writing novels so that I will not die from my flesh expression of the author’s anger against the
severe poverty and inequality of 1970s Korea, the
being torn by nakji, who is my literary ego with many legs,
story depicts the impoverished couple’s attempts
who never grows old and never dies. I write because I want to to bury Bongchoo’s dead mother in the middle of a
live, this world should be vivid, and most of all I still have a poor hillside village.
lot of love within me.”
THE TRAP
LOVE AS A LITERARY LIFE As a teenager growing up in a > Language Japanese
This tale appeared in Modern Korean Short Stories,
troubled home, Park would lose himself in books. After
a collection of works by the masters of short story
graduating from college, he was appointed a teacher at a form in Korea. With an aggressive, rough writing
school in a remote area, where he used to run 32 kilometers style, Park Beom-sin depicts the life and social
atmosphere of a neglected class of people during
twice a week to try and escape his loneliness. He only noticed
the 1970s and ‘80s. With a strange detachment
his literary gift when a friend read a piece he wrote to express from the rights and wrongs of actual war and
his emotions, and declared them to be a “novel.” Over 30 fighting, the author depicts the greed and money-
lust of a group of neighbors as a form of violence.
years on and a lifetime in literature later, Park’s passion for
Trapped within these confines, Park seems to say,
the written form remains undiminished. it is inevitable that the neglected ultimately resort
His passion is also evident in his embrace of entirely new to physical violence.
outlets for his work. In 2009, Park became the first Korean
writer to publish a novel, Cholatse, on an Internet website MOLD
read by more than a million people. Despite the challenges, > Language Japanese
This novel was published in 1993 after the end of
Park did this with lofty notions of creating a better climate
the Cold War, and a revised edition was published
for literature on the internet, and subsequently received in 2009. This novel suggests how the failed rea-
favorable comments from young readers. One newspaper soning behind the traditional domination of Korea’s
ruling class was being repeated during the often
said of the incident: “Park Beom-sin served a formal Korean
brutal “Yusin”, or Revitalizing Reforms, of the Park
dinner on the Internet which is filled with fast-food.” Chung-hee era.
Park compares publishing online to the appeal of live
concerts, saying that while writers should never compromise
the content of their work, they should be flexible about how
it gets to readers. Many of Park’s own works have been turned
into dramas, modern dance and movies. Showing his
approval for these adaptations, Park turned his novel Cholatse
into a play last year, enlisting his son to direct it. He took
another of his novels, Namaste, to the stage last July. The
story focuses on a love between a Nepalese immigrant worker
and a returned Korean emigrant from the United States who
suffered terrible physical abuse.
When asked, Park says he wouldn’t choose to be a writer
again if reborn in a next life — so it is just as well his readers
aren’t willing to let him go.
“How must I write for my sentences to seep into my read-
ers like smoke, like the wind, like water,” he once said. His
passion, just like those piercing eyes, retains all the depths
they ever did.
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AUGUST
2010 19
20-25 people 2010.7.28 2:9 PM 페이지 20 Mac-2 in T C M Y K

PEOPLE

Football is a game of space.

Who secures more space and
how fast they secure it deter-
mine which team is victorious.
Competitiveness in modern
football requires great move-
ment and split-second agility.
Just ask the Korean national
football team, whose advance-
ment to the second round of
the 2010 FIFA World Cup in
South Africa marked the fur-
thest the team had progressed
in a tournament held outside of
Asia. The team’s feat was possi-
ble with strong, cohesive team-
work, coupled with players

ⓒ Multibits Image
working to dominate the space
through all four corners of the
football field. by Park Mun-seong

FOOTBALL STARS
PUT KOREA ON THE MAP The Korean national football team poses for a photo before
playing against Nigeria at the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
KOREA KOREA
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20 2010 2010 21
20-25 people 2010.7.28 2:9 PM 페이지 22 Mac-2 in T C M Y K
The Korean national football team has its own version of the
“Fantastic Four”: Park Ji-sung, Lee Chung-yong, Park Chu-young
and Ki Sung-yueng. By taking advantage of the field in all four
matches, these players between them had a hand in all of
Korea’s six goals at the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
After waltzing through the defense, Park Ji-sung scored a fab-
ulous goal in the opening match against Greece. Park has now
scored in each of the last three FIFA World Cups, netting
against Portugal in 2002 and France in 2006. Lee scored
against Argentina and Uruguay, demonstrating that focus that
has made him a success in the English Premier League.
Against Nigeria, Park Chu-young scored an elegant free kick
— described as “unbelievable” by his AS Monaco teammate
and Nigerian footballer Lukman Haruna — that was made all
the more stirring for coming in the very next match after Park
had scored an own goal when competing against Argentina.
KOREA
AUGUST
22 2010
Bolton Wanderers, Ki Sung-yueng plays for Celtic in Scotland,
and Park Chu-young turns out for AS Monaco in the French
Ligue 1. By honing their skills in some of the fastest, toughest
leagues in the world, the four players have become the
foundation for Korean national team’s success, displaying a
confidence and resilience that ensured they would not be
overawed by their opponents.
FROM ASIA TO THE WORLD: PARK JI-SUNG The Korean team
has benefited from what is called the “Park Ji-sung Effect.”
Though Korea often qualified for previous FIFA World Cups, its
performances ranged from underwhelming to diabolical, largely
because the team’s players lacked the experience and confi-
dence that comes with playing in the world’s top leagues.
In recent years, however, this has changed. From an unre-
markable team, Korea has developed into a cohesive unit with
a physical yet skillful style all its own. This has been achieved
largely through the exodus of Korean players overseas follow-
ing the group’s run in the quarter finals of the 2002 FIFA World
Cup, co-hosted by Korea and Japan. Of the 23 men in the
2010 FIFA World Cup squad, 10 play or have played overseas
— the biggest number in the history of Korean football.
The most important person of these expatriate football stars
is undoubtedly Park Ji-sung. As an important part of one of the
world’s top football sides for the last five years, Park has long
since transcended from being the best player in Korea, to the
finest football player in Asia. Having winner’s medals in both
the English Premier League and the European Champions’
League, Park continues to be a key player for Manchester
United, scoring against top clubs such as Liverpool, Arsenal
and AC Milan last season.
Korean national team players describe the Park Ji-sung
And finally, Ki Sung-yueng provided vital assists in both the Effect as an overcoming of the fear Korean players traditionally eign players to adapt to, Lee turned in a series of superb
goals scored by defender Lee Jung-soo, while Lee Chung- felt when facing the world’s best. Through 10 years in Japan, performances that made him a firm favorite with the fans.
yong’s goal against Uruguay saw its origins in a free kick by Ki. the Netherlands and then England — and playing with and In 40 appearances, Lee scored five goals and made eight
But the importance of the quarter to the Korean team cannot against the likes of Wayne Rooney, Cristiano Ronaldo and assists. In his breakthrough season, Lee established himself
be measured by goals alone. With Park Chu-young as a striker, Didier Drogba — Park’s success has opened the door for a as a regular on the team and set the record for the most offen-
Park Ji-sung and Lee Chung-yong on the left and right wings host of other Korean footballers. One of the most exciting is sive points in a season by a Korean football player in the
and Ki Sung-yueng as a central midfielder, the Fantastic Four Lee Chung-yong. English Premier League.
efficiently control the tempo of the attack, unnerving opposing Those unfamiliar with Lee were amazed by his adaptibility
defenses by running tirelessly and switching, improvising posi- FOLLOWING IN HIS FOOTSTEPS: LEE CHUNG-YONG Park and and potential, not least his manager Owen Coyle, who placed
tions. The four men don’t stick to a set pattern, but adapt their Lee are in fact markedly similar players. This is no accident: enormous faith in the young Korean. Lee capped an extraordi-
directions according to the opponent. As many of the teams Lee says that Park is the player he most wants to emulate, not nary season by winning the Bolton Player of the Year, Players’
who’ve played against them will agree, this constant move- just in his playing style, but in how he lives his life. Player of the Year and best newcomer awards. With his suc-
ⓒ Yonhapnews Agency
ment makes Korea a very difficult team to defend against. Last year, Lee signed with Bolton, a mid-sized city near cess at Bolton and his solid showing at the 2010 FIFA World
ⓒ Multibits Image
All four players ply their trade for top European football Manchester with a rich football tradition. Park, who lives just 20 Cup, it should come as little surprise that several big clubs are
clubs. Park Ji-sung and Lee Chung-yong respectively play for minutes away, helped Lee settle in. And how he settled in: In a now said to be watching him closely.
the English professional football clubs Manchester United and league whose blistering pace makes it one of the hardest for for- In a world of monster egos, Lee is known for his caution and
Park Ji-sung cuts through the opponent’s defense with his dribbling during the Korea Lee Chung-yong fights a ball with the opponent during the game against Greece.
versus Argentina game, at the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
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2010 23
20-25 people 2010.7.28 2:9 PM 페이지 24 Mac-2 in T C M Y K

to this outstanding Korean player. If rumors are to be believed,
Park has already been contacted by Liverpool, Tottenham,
Fulham, Aston Villa and Everton. Although nothing concrete yet
has come of any of this reported interest, one thing is certain:
Park’s true worth as a footballer has emerged through the time
he has spent in Europe.
BREAKING THROUGH THE LANGUAGE BARRIER: KI SUNG-
YUENG Ki Sung-yueng is another Korean player to have been
blessed with opportunity. Signing with Celtic, the Glasgow
team that is a traditional powerhouse of the country, Ki
became the first Korean player ever to play in the Scottish
Premier League.
For numerous reasons, Ki’s Korean fans were desperate to
see the young midfielder succeed. For one, Celtic is one of the
biggest, most storied clubs in Europe. Second, and perhaps
more importantly, Ki’s new career offered a chance for Korea
to produce its first truly successful midfielder in a foreign
league. Previous interest in Korean players, or attempts by
those who did come to fill the vital role, were often stymied by
the Koreans’ difficulties in communicating in English. Because
central midfielders play such a pivotal role in regards to the
team as a whole, having to communicate constantly with both
attackers and defenders, the deficiency in English was an
enormous handicap.
Having spent five years in Australia, however, Ki faced no
such difficulties. But his excellent English was only part of the
success story. Under the influence and tutelage of his father,
Ki Young-ok himself a former football player and manager, Ki
has developed perhaps the finest ball control skills of any
player on the Korean team.
Compared with Lee Chung-yong and Park Chu-young, Ki has
had a rather more difficult time adjusting to life in the Scottish
Premier League. Club manager Tony Mowbray, who recruited
Ki, struggled to take charge and was eventually sacked after a
poor run of results.
But having enjoyed a good FIFA World Cup, Ki can look for-
ward to the new season with confidence. And with Celtic’s
recent sigining of Ki’s FIFA World Cup teammate Cha Du-ri, who
moved to Scotland after several years playing in Germany, Ki
has another reason to suppose that this season will mark a big
improvement in the fortunes of him and his club.

modesty — traits he says he picked up from his mentor, Park
Ji-sung. He is grateful for the bigger and better opportunities
that have come his way, but is determined to keep his feet on
the ground.
Although Lee has ambitions and cares deeply about his
future, he says he draws ultimate satisfaction from playing the
game he loves. This devotion is a key reason why people
expect so much of the player. To hear his teammates and fans
tell it, Lee’s potential is almost limitless.
THE RETURN OF THE STRIKER: PARK CHU-YOUNG If we had
to pick one player who had the most to prove at the 2010 FIFA
World Cup, it would be Park Chu-young. Hailed as one of the
most natural born players of his generation, Park had long
failed to live up to his enormous potential, prompting many to
question whether he ever would.
Yet, after signing for top European side AS Monaco two
Korea’s FIFA World Cup adventure would very probably have
continued into the quarter finals.
Park’s form first started to recover following his move to the
French league in 2008. Breaking free from the Korean football
league seemed to lift much of the crushing weight of expecta-
tion on his shoulders, and to visibly motivate him as well. Such
was the pressure he had felt at home, Park had become known
as an introverted, even diffident character. But those that really
know him attest to a talkative, cheerful soul whose attitude
can lift any gloomy locker-room spirit. For his teammates, as
much as for Park, the return of his confidence and good form
has been crucially important.
Realizing that his European adventure offered him the
chance to revitalize his career, Park grabbed the opportunity
with both hands. In his first season with AS Monaco, Park
secured a spot as the starting striker with the team and went
on to become the group’s second highest scorer. With Park on
ⓒ Yonhapnews Agency

years ago, much was expected of Park again at this year’s FIFA the team, AS Monaco enjoyed its best season in five years and
World Cup. In the event, it was Park’s excellent goal against also reached the final of the French FA Cup.
Nigeria that propelled Korea into the second round. And if his As it invariably happens, success within his club and now at
free kick in the match against Uruguay hadn’t hit the post, the FIFA World Cup has alerted some of England’s top scouts

Park Chu-young gives a thumbs up before shooting a free kick during the Round of Ki Sung-yueng runs for the ball at the game against Uruguay at the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
16, Korea versus Uruguay, at the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
KOREA KOREA
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24 2010 2010 25
26-31 travel 2010.7.28 2:10 PM 페이지 1 Mac-2 in T C M Y K

TRAVEL

A SUMMER
Gangneung is one of Korea’s most popular getaways. It’s cool even during the sweltering sum-
mer days, and is illuminated by green pastures and deep blue seas. In Gangneung, natural and
artistic beauty come together to create an enchanting effect. by Oh Kyong-yon | photographs by Kim Hong-jin

The unique outdoor space Haslla Art World boasts an extraordinary sea view.
26-31 travel 2010.7.28 2:10 PM 페이지 3 Mac-2 in T C M Y K

Drive northeast out of Seoul for about three hours and a sign bloom. Unusual for a pavilion, Hwallaejeong also has ondol, or
reading “Gangneung City” greets the visitor. To the west, the under-floor heating system, making it an intriguing mix of tradi-
Taebaek Mountains stretch languidly from the north to south. tional Korean architectural styles.
The East Sea is sits adjacent to Gangneung in the east. The Yeolhwadang, which served as the residence for the patri-
city, a haven for nature, glows like a lush emerald in mid-sum- arch, is another enchanting part of Seongyojang’s layout. Built
mer. Cooling rains help balance the temperature when it gets in 1815 with an entrance layered with copperplate,
too hot and, even on the most scorching of days, you can Yeolhwadang was a gift from a Russian minister to Korea who
always find a crisp breeze to help you forget about the sun. wanted to show his gratitude after staying at Seongyojang. Its
An old Korean proverb says that eating comes first even in Russian-style balcony serves as a historical testament to
savoring a spectacular view. With this in mind, our first stop in architecture from more than a century ago.
Gangneung is Chodang Tofu Village, one of Korea’s best- After touring Seongyojang, we drive for another 30 minutes
known sources of the food. This high-protein, low-calorie item toward the East Sea before stopping at Unification Park. Built
is enjoying a wave of global popularity these days, and the soft
tofu at Chodang is as irresistibly silky as it comes.
Chodang’s tofu is made according to a 400-year-old recipe,
and uses an ancestral solution to reach its delicious flavor.
“You take so much as one step out of the Gangneung
boundaries, and you can’t find tofu as good as this,” says Ahn
Song-ja, owner of the Donghwa Garden restaurant, who pro-
duces huge amounts of tofu twice a day. Ahn says the perfect
soft tofu of Chodang needs a combination of the following:
Water from the mountains, beans harvested in the region and
bittern extracted from 50 meters underground off the east
coast (Chodang tofu is certainly a local food). Ahn, who has
made tofu every day for the past two decades, has gained
such an expertise in her trade that she is able to eyeball how
much bittern to use — according to the day’s weather.
The production process goes like this: You sieve the simmer-
ing soybean extract through a fine cloth and then pour it back
into the pot. Let it boil and it becomes soy milk. Adding bittern
will create a soft tofu, but those who enjoy the firmer variety
can let it harden by placing it in a netted frame to solidify. As
generous as she is knowledgeable, Ahn plates a dish of fresh,
soft tofu straight from the pot and says simply, “Freshly
cooked tofu doesn’t need anything else to taste great.” After
a few delectable spoonfuls, I can see just what she means.

OF BEAUTY AND HEARTACHE After driving 10 minutes from

the tofu town, you reach Seongyojang, a traditional Joseon-era
house with about 300 years of history and a family whose 10
generations have lived there since it was built. Beautiful and
well preserved, the house has been used in a number of
popular TV dramas and big-screen historical epics.
By far the most prominent structure here is Hwallaejeong,
a pavilion that seems to float on a pond. Half of the structure
sits above water, while the lower half is supported by stone
pillars beneath the surface. In August, it’s a great place to sit
down and drink tea, while reveling in the view of lotuses in full

The traditional house of Seongyojang carries a 300-year-long history and extraordi- Chodang Tofu Village is well-known for its traditional and nutritious recipes (top left).
nary natural view with pine trees around the building (above). Unification Park’s famous warship is now an exhibition hall (top middle). You can
encounter some distinctive artwork on the road in Haslla Art Museum (top right).
KOREA KOREA
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26-31 travel 2010.7.28 2:10 PM 페이지 5 Mac-2 in T C M Y K
on an area attacked by a North Korean submarine in 1996,
the park today provides a poignant reminder of the country’s
division. Jeonbukham, a 3,471-ton warship that saw action
during the Korean War, now serves as an exhibition hall. The
captured submarine from 1996 and a wooden boat that North
Koreans used to escape are also on display.
WHERE THE SKY MEETS THE SEA Drive just five minutes
from the park and you’ll find Haslla Art World, an outdoor art
gallery and museum-cum-hotel. Compared to big cities like
Seoul and Busan, Gangneung is a quiet countryside, so it’s
quite jarring to see such a modern, creative place here.
Consider, however, that Haslla was built expressly to combine
both art and nature within an open beautiful setting, and the
sprawling, 109,000 square meter site makes much more
sense.
As enticing as the art here is, the natural backdrop makes it
truly extraordinary. The top of the hill near the cliff, with
Deungmyeong Beach serving as the backdrop, is dotted with
clever and witty sculptures. Nor do the artworks here focus
solely on the grandiose or larger than life — the pathway itself
is punctuated with small paintings and colored stonework.
“Keeping it simple is the best way to do it,” says Choi Ok-
yeung, an art professor at Gangneung-Wonju National
University and co-founder of Haslla with his wife, sculptor and
professor Park Shin-jeong. “The simple combination of the sea
and the mountain is Haslla Art World’s biggest charm.” Noting
that Haslla Art World is always looking for ways to improve,
Choi says he is working on paving a trail along the ridge of the
outdoor museum.
The museum hotel is also a must-see spot. As it is located
inside the art world complex, you can stroll straight out of your
suite and walk around the art gallery as if it were your own
backyard or garden. The colorful exterior and interior are them-
selves a work of art, their design and detail a testament to the
skills of the two owners, Choi and Park.
AESTHETICS OF PINE To say Gangneung is rich in pine trees
is something of an understatement. In fact, so covered in the
evergreen blanket is the Gangneung area that the fresh scent
is almost inescapable. The pine trees here are often called
Jeoksong, or Red Pine Trees, for the deep crimson of the bark
characterizing their tall, upright forms.
For the best place to see these famous pines, locals recom-
mend Chodang Pine Field, located in the memorial park for the
famous scholar Heo Gyun and and his sister, poet Heo
Nanseolheon. Trees there are anywhere between 100- and
300-years-old. A favorite route among residents is to start at
KOREA
AUGUST
30 2010
HOW TO GET TO GANGNEUNG
> By Car Take the Yeongdong Expressway from Seoul,
passing Yongin, Hobeop JC and Wonju, and exit at
Gangneung JC and Hongje Intersection.
> By Train Take the Gangneung-bound train from
Cheongnyangni Station, Seoul.
<Information>
Outdoor Gallery Accommodation
Haslla Art World / Haslla Museum Hotel San 33-1,
Jeongdongjin-ri, Gangdong-myeon, Gangneung, Gangwon-
do Province Call +82 (0)33 644 9411 www.haslla.kr
the memorial park and walk for about 10 minutes among the Korean Restaurant
towering pines, which will take you to Gyeongpoho Lake. Seoji Chogatteul 259 Nangok-dong, Gangneung
Near Gyeongpoho Lake, the fascinating Charmsori Call +82 (0)33 646 4430
Chodang Tofu Village
Gramophone & Edison Science Museum is home to some Donghwa Garden 309-1 Chodang-dong, Gangneung
4,000 gramophones and 150,000 records from 17 countries Call +82 (0)33 652 9885
around the world. Claiming the largest single collection of Traditional Temple / House
Gangneung Hyanggyo 233 Gyo-dong, Gangneung
Edison’s inventions, the museum has the only light bulb stand
Call +82 (0)33 648 3667 (Mornings only)
Edison ever made as well as the world’s first electric vehicle. Seongyojang 431 Unjeong-dong, Gangneung
Best of all, if your timing is just right, the staff may crank up a Call +82 (0)33 646 3270 www.knsgj.net
Pine Field
record on one of the scratchy, charming gramophones.
Heo Gyun & Heo Nanseolheon Memorial Park 474-8
For the perfect end to your visit, drop by the traditional Chodang-dong, Gangneung Call +82 (0)33 640 4798
restaurant Seoji Chogatteul for a taste of the old Korean coun- Museum / Memorial Park
Charmsori Gramophone & Edison Science Museum 36 Jeo-
tryside. Sticking faithfully to tried and true recipes, Seoji
dong, Gangneung Call +82 (0)33 655 1130
Chogatteul uses only the freshest of handpicked ingredients, Gangneung Unification Park 3-5 Aninjin-ri, Gangdong-
for an exquisite, culturally-rich Korean meal. Choi Yeong-gan, myeon, Gangneung Call +82 (0)33 640 4470
the owner of the restaurant, says she is a big believer in tradi-
Tourism Department [Gangneung City Hall] 1001
tion, and embraces the best nature has to offer. What better Hongje-dong, Gangneung Call +82 (0)33 640 5420
place for her restaurant than Gangneung? www.gntour.go.kr
Gangneung Hyanggyo, the Confucian temple and school, holds a shrine for the Chodang Pine Field’s trail is seen (top). Charmsori Gramophone & Edison Science Museum
famous philosopher Confucius, a sight so rare that many Chinese people will visit. has a collection of vintage pieces (above). Haslla Art World runs a museum-cum-hotel, filled
with artistic rooms inside (top right). Traditional dishes from Seoji Chogatteul (above right).
KOREA
AUGUST
2010 31
32-35 my korea 2010.7.28 2:12 PM 페이지 1 Mac-2 in T C M Y K

MY KOREA

All of the signs are here; long days, warm air
and humid nights. Summer has, once again,
found the Korean peninsula and as I sweat,
live and struggle to breathe, I am searching
for my own piece of siwonhada to ease the
pains of summer. Siwonhada is a Korean
term bearing similarity to the English expres-
sion “cool.” That is, in a literal and figurative
sense, as well as an internal feeling of revital-
ization and refreshment. So, on my quest for
summer coolness I promised myself I would try anything at least once, in
hopes of banishing the heat and reaching a new level of “cool.”
Summer in Korea is a beautiful thing, save for the hot sun and humidity
which, when left unchecked, can leave anyone lifeless and drained. When
faced with moments like these I have options, three, to be exact: adapt, relo-
cate or die. Despite my healthy love for the dramatic moments of life, death
seems a bit much and, like most people, I hate moving house. I am then, in all
of my sweaty glory, dedicated to adapting. Like any good expat, this is one
more reason to get out there, dig in and go native.
When it comes to Korean people, some of the rumors are true. They love
active, outdoor sports, they are one of the tallest groups of Asians and they North Korea or something more culturally
thoroughly enjoy sweating over boiling hot stone bowls of spicy soup. Now, I subtle. Thank heavens he is a patient man
would let the former slide if it were winter, but in this oppressive summer and had the wherewithal, as well as the
heat, I never really understood why an entire group of people would punish English-language capacity, to verbally flow-
themselves with scalding soup on the hottest day of the year. So, like the curi- chart it for me. He explained to me that
ous foreigner I am, I asked. Lo and behold, I discovered a treasure-trove of Korean people have a tradition of seeking hot
cultural insight. As I listened to my 78-year-old surrogate grandfather, the and spicy foods to cool them down when the
pieces of the puzzle began to fall into place. summer heat arrives. Now, I have heard of
Grandpa Kim laid it all out for me — Koreans fight fire with fire. Initially, I people drinking warm beverages to cool
didn’t understand if he was speaking to me about the recent tensions with the themselves, like taking in a hot mint tea in

Summer has arrived, and with it,

KE
O
thoughts of ice cream, ice-cold

L I drinks and exulting under a

spray of cool water. In Korea,

T
however, locals embrace a more

IT
H
unorthodox approach: Food
that makes you sweat away the

SO M E hots. One American expat

abandons her misgivings, heads
off to a chicken broth restaurant
and fights fire with fire.

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32-35 my korea 2010.7.28 2:12 PM 페이지 3 Mac-2 in T C M Y K

nourish depleted yin and yang,
gi and energy meridians. While
there now seemed to be hope for
my tattered gi, and while I was
eager to find my siwonhada, I
didn’t want to do it alone. Any
new experience, heavy lifting or
excessive sweating calls for
good friends, and this was no
exception. I called in a lifeline,
phoned my dear friend Danae and
committed to the experience.
After thoroughly researching nearby
restaurants, I decided on one specializing in this revitalizing soup. On arriv-
ing, we were greeted by the owner of the establishment who gave us a broad,
curious smile. Then, he handed me a pink Post-it bearing the number 17. Yes,
there was a waiting line. Apparently, iyeolchiyeol is no joke. Danae and I,
along with what seemed like an ever-growing number of Koreans, were all in
search of summer coolness. By the time 17 was called, another 15 people were
in line behind us.
We were ushered to a table, pre-set with all the necessities: Copious
amounts of spicy kimchi, a dish of locally grown hot Korean green peppers,
cucumber sticks, fiery hot pepper dip and what appeared to be a bone-bucket.
Interestingly enough, we never placed an order. They knew what we had come
for and, within minutes, two bubbling, boiling and steaming earthenware
bowls were placed on our table. With a delight matched only by children on
Christmas morning, I blew on the bowl to part the steam and catch my first
glance of this tasty treat. The feast my eyes beheld was truly awesome.
Samgyetang is a whole, young chicken stuffed with glutinous rice, jujubes,
dates, chestnuts, gingko nuts, garlic and young ginseng roots, served in a clear
broth. It all made sense now. I finally understood this Korean insight.
Grandpa Kim’s seemingly infallible wisdom had not led me astray. The
restorative properties of all of the foods used in samgyetang had the potential
to zap my muggy summer blues.
erably — we made our way to the cash regis-
ter and happily paid for our first iyeolchiyeol
experience.
As we left the protection of the covered
awning, I felt a cold drop. Somehow, while
searching for coolness, the humidity broke
and for the first time in a long time, big, cold
drops of rain began to fall. There was a new
skip in my step. Whether it really was the
soup, or some imagined benefits of it, I felt
phenomenal. I couldn’t hold back and began
to sing the first song that came to mind: I
Feel Good. Through the corridor, down the
hall and out the door, we sang the whole
song. I’m sure, as Koreans walked past us
smiling, they were thinking, “must be the
samgyetang.”
The rain didn’t last, but it cooled the air.
Finally, the Korean summer felt as light and
fresh as I did. Danae and I didn’t go home
right away. We loitered a while in the breeze
of a new summer night, laughing and talking.
We gushed about how satisfied and rejuvenat-
ed we felt, and the incredible energy now
running through us. And in a small pause,
between our laughs, I thought I heard a whis-
per. It was my gi. Do you know what it said?
“Siwonhada.” by Katie Klemsen | illustrations by Jo
Seung-yeon | photograph by Kim Nam-heon
PROFILE

Morocco. But the idea of seeking to sweat it
out, in an already balmy climate, was a lot
like me: Foreign.
I learned a lot from Grandpa Kim and his
aged-to-perfection wisdom. An ancient belief
in the East dictates that the human body will
only enjoy good health and harmony when
the elements of fire, water, earth and metal
are balanced. Apparently, my yin and yang
was out of balance and my gi, or chi, was in
need of a good tune-up. “So,” he told me,
I rotated my chicken, investigating it, looking for the most logical place to Katie Mae Klemsen is an
American expat living in
begin. Still not knowing, I took to social cues from my fellow diners. The con- South Korea. She is a
“you must release the heat.” Of course, during summer in Korea that is easier clusion I arrived at was “just eat.” So I did. I alternated between tender chunks professor of English
language and literature
said than done. If I were left to my own devices, I might just lock myself in my of chicken, perfectly prepared rice and savory broth, tipped my bowl and con- at Hanyang University in
house and blast the air conditioning. But because this is not a practical sumed every drop. Danae wasn’t far behind me and, between the two of us, Seoul. With a joyful dis-
position, she enjoys
option, “fighting fire with fire,” or iyeolchiyeol in Korean, must be my succor. we managed a dish of kimchi, two peppers each, diced peppery radish, and running marathons,
Much to my dismay, the real summer heat lies ahead. The three hottest days the whole lot of cucumbers. Needless to say, we filled the bone-bucket. drinking coffee, talking
politics and tuning her gi
in Korea are referred to as chobok, jungbok and malbok, and collectively as We cleaned each dish on the table and stared at each other in amazement. (vital life force in the
body). When she isn’t
sambok. This year, they fall on July 19, July 29 and August 8. So, with my There we were, sweating brows and massive smiles, full and happy. Then we getting lost on the
newfound cultural insight, I pulled my bootstraps up and hit the scalding looked around. We were not alone. The whole restaurant was filled with din- beaches of Asia, she
can be found in Bundang,
pavement in search of Grandpa Kim’s cure-all, samgyetang. ers, eating and sweating, sweating and eating. Audible murmurs of the word Gyeonggi-do Province.
Samgyetang is a traditional Korean chicken soup belonging to the group of masisseo (delicious) filled the air, and there wasn’t an unhappy face to be seen. Lost or found, she can
be reached at Katie.
foods referred to as “boyang foods.” These foods are said to replenish and As the line at the restaurant hadn’t diminished — rather, it had grown consid- Klemsen@gmail.com.

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36-39 summit diplomacy 2010.7.28 2:12 PM 페이지 1 Mac-2 in T C M Y K

SUMMIT DIPLOMACY

PRESIDENT LEE MYUNG-BAK

Leaders from G-20 Summit member countries take a for Korean companies to take part in In their statement, the leaders said
photo at MTTC in Toronto, Canada, on June 26.
international bidding for public proj- they recognized that there is “a range
ects in Mexico. He further pledged to of policy approaches” to determine

ATTENDS G-20 SUMMIT, TOURS President Lee Myung-bak recently

undertook a seven-day trip in Canada,
increase cooperation with Central and
North America.
responsibility for the financial crisis.
They agreed to let individual nations

PANAMA AND MEXICO Panama and Mexico. In his first stop,

Toronto, President Lee met with US
President Barack Obama ahead of the
G-20 Summit and agreed to postpone
Over eight days from late June to early July, President Lee Myung- the transfer of wartime operational
control, while also discussing ratifica-
bak attended the Group of 20 Summit in Canada before going on to tion of the Korea-US free trade agree-
Panama and Mexico to meet the countries’ leaders. Ahead of the G- ment. In the ensuing G-20 meeting,
20 Summit in Seoul this November, the Toronto summit and the Lee used his allotted time to suggest
ⓒ Seoul Economy Daily
G-20 SUMMIT IN CANADA: LEADERS
AGREE TO REDUCE DEFICIT The G-20
Summit in Canada ended on June 28
with a joint communiqué from the
members, in which they pledged to
halve their deficits by 2013. They
decided to discuss other pressing
matters, including financial reform
adopt the approach that best suited
their needs.
Discussing the forthcoming Seoul
summit, President Lee said he would
do all he can to ensure substantive
talks take place on establishing a sys-
tem of global financial safety nets. In
the process, Lee officially declared
Seoul was ready to serve as the host

items for the agenda of the G-20
accompanying trips marked an important opportunity to gauge Seoul Summit. Participating heads of
Lee’s plans and to learn more about his diplomatic policy toward state said they were looking forward
North and Central America. by Kwon Kyeong-hui to the meeting.
President Lee also secured ways
and worldwide financial safety nets,
at the Seoul meeting in November.
With this, Korea’s role as the host of
the G-20 summit assumed even
greater importance.
of the next G-20 Summit.
The occasion holds great signifi-
cance for Korea in that it marks the
first time an officially “developing”
nation has hosted such a top-level

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36-39 summit diplomacy 2010.7.28 2:12 PM 페이지 3
President Lee attends the Korea-SICA (Central
American Integration System) Summit meeting and
listens to introductory remarks by President Ricardo
Martinelli of the Republic of Panama, on June 28
(above). President Lee and Mexican President
Felipe Calderon hold a joint press conference just
after the bilateral summit in Mexico on July 1
(opposite below).
KOREA
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38 2010
Mac-2 in T C M Y K
economic conference. Lee put on a
strong, confident display at the
Toronto meeting, raising hopes that
Korea’s stewardship of the next event
would be a successful one.
President Lee worked hard to set
November as the deadline for the
readjustment of IMF quotas, with
government officials saying he had
also played a major role in reaching
agreement on efforts to build global
financial safety nets. He proposed a
development agenda, the gradual
abolition of subsidies for fossil fuels
and the evaluation of its implementa-
tion, and the execution of plans for
members to improve their fiscal health.
Sakong Il, head of the Presidential
Committee for the G-20 Summit, said,
“What I sensed at this meeting was
that everyone wanted to take things to
Seoul. It seemed as though we were
attending a preparatory meeting [for
the Seoul Summit].”
PRESIDENT LEE’S AMERICAN
DIPLOMACY Following his stop in
Canada, Lee traveled to Panama on
June 29, where he engaged in so-
called “sales diplomacy” with Central
American countries including Costa
Rica, El Salvador and Nicaragua.
That day, Lee attended the Korea-
Central American Integration System
(SICA) group summit at the Sheraton
Hotel in Panama City. The delegates
agreed to encourage Korean firms’
investments in Central America and
endorsed a 13-point joint statement.
Founded in 1993 to coordinate
democratic integration and regional non-member observers of SICA. Mexico agreed to work with Seoul to President Lee and First Lady Kim toast with
President Calderon and First Lady Margarita Zavala
economy integration in the region, In order to strengthen security ties, ensure the international community
at a state banquet in Mexico, July 1.
SICA’s membership includes Panama, Lee pledged to have the Korean takes stern measures against North
Costa Rica, El Salvador, Nicaragua, National Police Agency run a training Korea for its sinking of the Cheonan
the Dominican Republic, Guatemala, program in maintaining public safety. navy ship in March. They said they Obama,” an official at the Blue House
Honduras and Belize. Expressing concern about security would also take a positive look at said. “And the president is also con-
President Lee stressed at the problems in the region, SICA leaders Korea’s bid for UN Security Council sidering signing FTAs with Panama,
summit that Korean companies can asked Lee for Korea’s backing in next membership from 2013 to 2014. Costa Rica and Mexico. His economy-
contribute to the development of year’s international conference on “During this trip, President Lee oriented practical diplomacy, some-
Central America by strengthening and security strategies in Central America. reaffirmed friendly ties with the US thing he’d pursued for a long time,
diversifying their investments in infor- The Central American leaders also through his summit with President finally bore fruit during this trip.”
ⓒ Seoul Economy Daily (left, opposite above); Cheongwadae (opposite right)
mation technology, energy, mining and offered their best wishes for Seoul’s
infrastructure. SICA leaders all recog- successful hosting of the G-20
nized the importance of hosting Summit in November and asked Lee
Korean companies in their countries. to help ensure that their positions are
To bolster their ties with Korea, taken into account during the summit.
SICA leaders proposed that Korea join In Mexico, his last stop, Lee suc-
the Central American Bank for Eco- cessfully reached a deal to allow
nomic Integration (CABEI), a move that Korean firms to take part in bidding
Lee said he would seriously consider. for government projects, a privilege
The Korean president also pleased usually granted only to companies
the assembled delegates by saying from nations that have FTAs with
that Korea would take part as an Mexico. Lee asked his Mexican coun-
observer in SICA’s activities and would terpart Felipe Calderon to consider
institutionalize its cooperation with the allowing Korean financial companies
organization. Currently, Spain, to enter Mexico, and Calderon reacted
Germany, Taiwan, Italy and Japan are positively to the idea.
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40-43 global korea 2010.7.28 2:13 PM 페이지 1 Mac-2 in T C M Y K

GLOBAL KOREA

Last April the residents of a village in GENEROSITY WITHOUT BORDERS An

Cambodia, a country infamous for the
low quality of its water, watched their
visitor in anxious silence. Under the
scorching sun, a Korean was trying to
pump water from a well. As the 600 or
so villagers looked on, the minutes
ticked by with no sign of success.
Suddenly, the quiet was broken by a
noise coming from the underground
pipe, and water rushed outward. The
nearby people whooped with joy. It
was the 500th well that Woongjin
Coway, a Korean company, had suc-
cessfully pumped for water.
affiliate of the Woongjin Group,
Woongjin Coway manufactures water
purifiers, air purifiers and bidets.
Beginning in 2006 with 75 wells in 26
villages near Phnom Penh, the compa-
ny now aims to drill 100 wells per
year. In 2007, some 20 senior execu-
tives of the Woongjin Group took part
in constructing 100 wells across
Cambodia.
“So far, the company has opened
526 wells and individual employees A member of Raon Atti, Kookmin Bank’s volunteer
group, takes a photo with local children while work-
have dug 210, and they benefit more ing (opposite). Hyundai-Kia’s Slovakian employees
than 1,500 households in Cambodia,” participate at Hyundai-Kia’s Global Blood Donation
Campaign (above). The Hanjin Group organizes a
reforestation program in Mongolia (below).

says Choi Eun-kyeong of the marketing

strategy team at Woongjin Coway.
Also since 2006, Woongjin Coway
has been running programs to help
underprivileged children in South
Africa become the country’s next gen-
eration of football stars. In that year,
the company donated uniforms and
balls to the Green Stars club, based in
one of the poorest regions in the
country. Today, Woongjin Coway is
sponsoring four football teams.
The Hyundai-Kia Automotive Group
is also actively giving back to society.
In a move that signaled its intent to
become more closely involved in chari-
table programs in North America,
Hyundai Motor joined the Boston
College Center for Corporate
Citizenship, a prestigious organization
for companies engaged in corporate

ⓒ Hyundai-Kia Automotive Group (above right); Hanjin Group (right)

KOREA’S CORPORATIONS social responsibility.
“This membership will help acceler-
ate our global efforts to give back to
DELIVER HOPE TO THE WORLD the community,” said an official at
Hyundai Motor. “Last year, we
launched the Finding Three-Leaf
Korean companies are expanding their operations overseas — and Clovers Worldwide program in six
countries, in which we granted the
profit isn’t the sole motive. In gratitude for the success they have wishes of children who had been
enjoyed through their foreign business, and with an eye on their involved in motor accidents. We had a
ⓒ KB Kookmin Bank

public image, Korean firms are now looking to give something great response.”
Last October 17, the Hyundai-Kia
back to the most underprivileged around the world. by Seo Dong-cheol Automotive Group also participated in
the White Band Campaign as part of

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40-43 global korea 2010.7.28 2:13 PM 페이지 3
the International Day for the
Eradication of Poverty. The group ran
fundraising campaigns and hung large
banners across 20 sites in 10
nations, including the United States,
Germany, China and India. Hyundai-
Kia group has also operated a global
blood donation campaign since 2004,
and from last year, about 13,000
employees in the group’s five over-
seas branches — the United States,
India, Czech Republic and Turkey for
Hyundai, and Slovakia for Kia — have
been taking part too.
At Hanjin Group, the subsidiary
Korean Air has been operating a refor-
estation program in Mongolia for
seven years. This May, Korean Air’s
employees and about 200 college stu-
dents joined residents of Baganuur, a
district of Ulan Bator, to plant 10,000
poplar trees. The movement, which
began in 2004, is designed to help
prevent any further desertification of
Asia, and so far, about 46,000 trees
covering 314,000 square meters of
land have been planted. In recognition
of Korean Air’s efforts in the country,
the Mongolian government has award-
ed the airline with its highest environ-
mental honor.
The reforestation campaign has now
gone beyond Mongolia and into other
KOREA
AUGUST
42 2010
Mac-2 in T C M Y K
areas of the world. Korean Air has
been trying to cultivate a forest in
China’s Kubuqi Desert, one of the epi-
centers of yellow dust, since 2007,
and has taken part in the Million Trees
Los Angeles campaign since last year.
In its efforts to reforest the planet,
Korean Air’s campaign has taken on
a truly global hue.
SHARE AND SHARE ALIKE And what
of Samsung, Korea’s biggest corpora-
tion? Befitting its global presence,
Samsung is involved in various pro-
grams and regions around the world.
Its best-known social responsibility
program is Samsung’s Four Seasons
of Hope, a fundraiser in the United
States that draws on contributions
from star athletes and celebrities.
Since its inception in 2002, the pro-
gram has donated about US$25 mil-
lion to charities and educational pro-
grams for underprivileged youth.
In China, Samsung joined hands
with the China Disabled Persons’
Federation to offer free cataract sur-
gery to 6,150 patients from 2007 to
2009. This year, Samsung built a
training center for guide dogs in
Beijing to help the deaf. In addition,
the company has set up about 80
“Samsung Anycall Hope Primary
Samsung runs an educational program for children
in China (top). One of Kookmin Bank’s employees
participates in volunteer work (above). The POSCO
Group inaugurated a global volunteer program and
visited India to offer medical care support (below).
Schools” in joint efforts with the
Chinese government to improve edu-
cation in underdeveloped areas. The
goal is to build 100 schools by the
end of this year.
Since the collapse of the Soviet
Union in 1991, Samsung has provided
US$140,000 in annual grants to the
Bolshoi Ballet; more recently, the
company created the Tolstoy
Literature Awards, to which it con-
tributes US$70,000 per year. Since
2003, the group has also helped track
athletes under 17 in Kenya as part of
its talent nurturing program. And
between August and November every
year since 2005, the corporation’s
Japanese arm has required that all its
employees take part in at least 40 vol-
untary missions, including helping
take care of the environment and pro-
viding assistance to disabled people.
Kookmin Bank, Korea’s largest, in
2008 launched a voluntary group for
college students called Raon Atti
(meaning “pleasant friends” in old
Korean) that helps Asian countries
suffering from poverty, starvation or
natural disasters. For five months
beginning August 2008, the first 50
members of Raon Atti volunteered in
seven Asian nations, including East
Timor and Cambodia, serving meals,
helping startup companies and assist-
ing disabled children. In 2009, a sec-
ond batch of Raon Atti volunteers trav-
eled to five countries, including
Malaysia and Vietnam, with 50 middle
ⓒ Samsung (top); KB Kookmin Bank (middle); POSCO (left) and high school students from the
Raon Atti Junior group. This year, 60
Raon Atti members have been dis-
patched to six Asian nations.
Expanding a project originally
planned for Korea, Kookmin Bank has
also been building libraries in develop-
ing countries around Southeast Asia.
The overseas library-building began in
ⓒ Woongjin Group
2008, with one built in a primary
school and another in a middle school
in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
“Last year, we built a library at the
Woongjin Coway has supported a program to drill
for water wells in Cambodia since 2006.
department of tourism in Phnom Penh
in Cambodia,” said Choi Gon-cheol, a
senior deputy head of the bank’s
social cooperation support depart-
ment. “We will continue to cross
boundaries to help provide open
spaces for information and culture for
people in remote areas.”
For its part, POSCO, Korea’s leading
steelmaker, designated the week of
June 7 its “POSCO Family Global
Volunteer Week.” In its inaugural year,
the campaign demonstrated POSCO’s
determination to match its status as a
global corporation by expanding its
social contribution overseas.
During that week, Posco launched
voluntary programs in Korea, China,
India, Indonesia and numerous other
locations where its 19 overseas
offices are located. In China, the com-
pany invited students in rural areas to
the Shanghai Expo, and also repaired
the homes of underprivileged families
in Guangdong. Employees of
Maharashtra in Indonesia ran medical
checkups and supplied medication for
local residents who wouldn’t usually
have access to it. POSCO also offered
a helping hand in Malaysia, Vietnam,
Indonesia, Mexico and Chile, cus-
tomizing its programs to fit the needs
of each nation. “I hope that POSCO
employees can build trust with locals
all across the world through their
social contribution,” said POSCO
Chairman Chung Joon-yang. “We will
keep expanding our social responsibili-
ty as a global firm.”
A host of Korean firms are now
preaching the value of sharing all
around the globe. Just as there have
been no borders to the growth of their
businesses, their corporate social
responsibility programs, too, are oper-
ating wherever they are needed, irre-
spective of region or nationality.
Having earned respect and trust for
their products, Korean companies are
giving back to the countries who made
them what they are.
KOREA
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44-48 now in korea 2010.7.28 2:14 PM 페이지 44 Mac-2 in T C M Y K

NOW IN KOREA

KOREA’S BIG PUSH INTO

MEDICAL TOURISMTourists to Korea are not what they were. While
many still come to experience the country’s ancient
culture and natural beauty, a fast-growing number of
medical tourists are availing themselves of Korea’s
excellent medical services, too. With prices as much
as 50 percent cheaper than at home, people from
Asia, Europe and even the United States are coming
to Korea for everything from cancer treatment to
plastic surgery. And the medical boom is only just
beginning. by Seo Dong-cheol

Last spring, Mrs A, who lives in Vladivostok, Russia, was at the

end of her tether. After several years of marriage, during which
she’d tried constantly to become pregnant, she was no closer
to having the child she so wanted. As a result, she and her
husband decided they wanted to try IVF treatment, but the
hospitals near her were either ill-equipped or prohibitively
expensive. Her dream seemed as unattainable as ever.
Then one day, a friend mentioned how she’d had medical
treatment in Korea that was both affordable and of the highest
standard. Though “medical tours” were also on offer to
Singapore and Thailand, both those countries were much far-
ther away. A flight to Korea, by contrast, would take less than
two hours from Vladivostok. As soon as she could arrange it,
Mrs A packed her bags and headed for Korea.
Mrs A’s initial worries about the language barrier vanished
ⓒ Korea Tourism Organization

when she was met at the hospital by an administrator who

spoke perfect Russian. The treatment she received, she said,
was never less than warm and attentive, with facilities that
were uniformly excellent. Before too long, Mrs A became preg-
nant and gave birth to her child back in Russia. In subsequent

Medical tourists visiting Korea for treatment receive a checkup.

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44-48 now in korea 2010.7.28 2:15 PM 페이지 46 Mac-2 in T C M Y K

contact with the hospital, she could barely contain her joy.
Mr B, a 56-year-old from the United States, was recently
diagnosed with prostate cancer. No sooner had he recovered
from the initial shock of his diagnosis than he was hit with
more terrible news: The treatment he required, proton therapy,
would cost him more than US$80,000 in the United States.
Learning that there were only 20 or so of the necessary proton
machines anywhere in the world — due to their $40 million-
plus price tag — Mr B did some research and found that one
was in use in the National Cancer Center in Korea. More impor-
tantly, the proton treatment he needed would cost just half as
much as in the United States. Flying halfway around the world
with his daughter, Mr B successfully underwent treatment that
put his cancer into remission. To Mr B, Korea transformed from
an unknown country in a distant part of the world to a land of
hope, and a place he will hold in his affections forever.
A KOREAN CURE Since reforms of Korea’s medical laws were
enacted last year, making it much easier to attract foreign
patients, medical tourism has boomed. In 2009, Korea wel-
comed 60,201 medical tourists, more than twice the 27,480
that came in 2008. By nationality, Americans ranked first with
13,976 patients, followed by Japan with 12,997, China with
4,725, Russia with 1,758, Canada with 984, Mongolia with
850 and Middle East with 614. Internal medicine was the most
heavily used department, followed by health examinations, der-
matology and plastic surgery, family medicine and gynecology.
“Costs that are just one-third to one-half elsewhere,
advanced medical equipment and the expertise of Korean med-
ical staff have combined to create synergy effects,” says Kim
Gwang-seop, director of the medical tourism agency US Travel.
“It’s the first step in Korea’s becoming an international cen-
ter of high-class medical services,” adds an official from the
Ministry of Health and Welfare. “Although Korea started later
than countries like Thailand and Singapore, which have aggres-
sively implemented medical tourism policies of their own, the
excellence of Korean medical services allowed our medical
tourism sector to grow by more than 33 percent year on year.”
A key factor in this growth has been the positive feedback
from people who’ve already visited Korea to use its medical
facilities. In a survey of 544 foreigners conducted last year by
the Korea Tourism Organization, the overall satisfaction rate
came to 4.2 out of 5. Of the various criteria, “hospitality of the
staff at the medical facility” ranked top with 4.45, while “stan-
dard of facilities” gained a 4.33, “credibility of the medical
staff” 4.28, “expertise of the medical staff” 4.26, “conve-
nience of the overall service” 4.16 and “communication” 4.16.
Kang Heung-lim, a team manager at CheongShim
International Medical Center, which attracted about 10,000
medical tourists last year, says his hospital offers services tai-
lored to the needs of patients from different countries. “In the
case of Japan, we are providing administrative services so that
they won’t face any inconvenience in receiving domestic insur-
ance once they return home after the treatment. Our Japanese 1 MILLION BY 2020 The global market for medical tourism is
patients have been delighted with it,” says Kang. “At expanding fast. According to multinational consulting firm
CheongShim, six coordinators fluent in English, Japanese or McKinsey & Co., there were 19 million medical tourists world-
Russian are available at all times so we never face language- wide in 2005, increasing to 25.8 million in 2007 — an annual
related problems in any departments.” increase of around 16.5 percent. The overall number is expect-
ed to hit some 40 million this year.
By monetary value, medical tourism in 2007 was worth
US$60 billion and is projected to reach $100 billion by 2012.
Thailand alone had more than 1 million inbound medical
tourists in 2005, and 1.5 million in 2007. Singapore had
400,000 in 2005, a number that India is fast catching up with.
In the face of such stiff competition, Korea is setting ambi-
tious aims, with the goal of being a serious rival to Thailand
and Singapore by the end of the decade. This year, the Ministry
of Health and Welfare expects around 80,000 medical tourists meaning Korea is well placed to compete with them as well.”
to visit Korea, with 100,000 in 2011, 200,000 in 2013 and a The Korea Tourism Organization and Korea Health Industry

ⓒ CheongShim International Medical Center

million in 2020. Development Institute are putting together numerous plans to
ⓒ Jaseng Hospital of Oriental Medicine

“Thailand and India are difficult to compete with in terms of
price. But with high-tech medical equipment and advanced
medical services, Korea is competitive. And has great potential
for growth,” says Ko Deock-jin, a team manager at MediKorea,
which provides a portal service for medical tourism. “Regarding
Singapore, while the price of their basic packages is reason-
able, costs can soar with services like endoscopes or MRIs,
promote medical tourism. The three one-stop medical tourism
centers currently in operation in Korea — two at Incheon
International Airport and one at the Korea Tourism Organization
building — are to be expanded to regional airports including
Jeju and Busan, as well as major locations in Seoul. Staff flu-
ent in English, Japanese and Chinese will be assigned to each
center to provide consultations on medical tours and medical

German oriental doctor Raimund Royer examines a foreign patient in Jaseng Hospital A patient has an MRI scan at CheongShim International Medical Center (top).
of Oriental Medicine (above left). An acupuncture needle is applied to a patient’s Doctors discuss x-ray scans at the Diagnostic Imaging Department of CheongShim
back during treatment (above right). International Medical Center (above right).
KOREA KOREA
AUGUST AUGUST
46 2010 2010 47
44-48 now in korea 2010.7.28 2:15 PM 페이지 48
Mac-2 in T C M Y K
experience programs. In this way, Korea hopes to fast-track the
growth of its medical tourism industry by providing instant,
authoritative information on the country’s medical services.
A great deal of effort is being put into nurturing talent related
to medical tourism. Training sessions on the roles of medical
tourism coordinators are held twice a year for hospital staff,
while English lessons are provided throughout the year so that
hospital processes, including reservations, treatment and dis-
charging, can be handled smoothly.
“It is true that translation costs in medical tourism are a sig-
nificant burden to small medical institutions without multilin-
gual consultants,” says Kang from CheongShim International
Medical Center. “One possible solution is a video treatment
system, which is expected to be introduced within the year, in
which Korean families with foreign spouses are linked by video
to the patients in the hospitals.”
Another strength of Korean medicine is its long history of tra-
ditional treatments, which is now being heavily promoted as an
option for medical tourists. Not so long ago, Korea’s traditional
medicine received a big boost when Donguibogam, an ancient
medical tome, was designated part of UNESCO’s Memory of
the World Programme. By giving the book such a high profile,
the designation showed the world that Korea had a long med-
ical heritage of its own that was distinct from that of China.
With increasing inquiries into Korea’s singular brand of tradi-
tional medicine, the Korea Tourism Organization, along with the
government and several medical institutions, launched the
KOREA
AUGUST
48 2010
Council for Korea Medicine Overseas Promotion last March.
The council has set itself the ambitious target of attracting
50,000 traditional medicine tourists by 2013.
“Last year about 5,600 foreign medical tourists visited our
hospital and received traditional remedies such as acupunc-
ture and Chuna (a kind of spinal massage). Almost all of them
were highly satisfied with the service,” says Song Min-a, a
team manager at Jaseng Hospital of Oriental Medicine, which
specializes in spinal conditions. “Oriental medicine has already
become a global trend.”
ⓒ Korea Tourism Organization (above left); Jaseng Hospital of Oriental Medicine (above right)
In addition, a growing number of people are visiting not just
for the treatment, but for the whole experience of trying tradi-
tional medicine. In stark contrast to the rather clinical experi-
ence of Western medicine, an Oriental medicine tourist can
look forward to personal, in-depth consultations, along with
acupuncture or other treatments. “It may be difficult to fully
appreciate the benefits of Oriental medicine from a single, one-
hour visit,” says Song, “but there are many cases where one
such experience leads to repeated visits.”
One year on from the start of government efforts to turn
Korea into a medical tourism powerhouse, the industry has a
bright future ahead. Combining high-tech medical equipment,
advanced medical services, world class staff, reasonable costs
and the distinct nature of Korea’s Oriental medicine, Korea has
a combination that makes it ideally placed to deliver exception-
al service with highly competitive prices. And for that, Mrs A
and Mr B, among many others, are very thankful.
The number of patients who undergo medical treatments in Korea increases yearly.
 NE PAS AFFRANCHIR
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KOREA (SEOUL)
KOCIS
15 Hyoja-ro, Jongno-gu
Seoul (110-040)
Republic of Korea
ⓒ Choi Ji-young
Mac-2 in T C M Y K
8월호엽서 2010.7.28 2:17 PM 페이지 1
8월호엽서 2010.7.28 2:17 PM 페이지 2 Mac-2 in T C M Y K

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